Chapter 25 #2
“You’re right. I don’t care about the money for any other reason other than it came from my mom and grandma, and because of that, I don’t want him to get a dime.”
“We’ll deal with it, sweetheart. I’ll swing by your store tomorrow and get the paperwork from you so I can look everything over.”
“Do you want me to bring them over tonight?”
“There’s no sense in ruining the rest of your evening. I’m sure you’re ready to unwind and spend time with Rev and Crow before he goes to work.”
“That’s all I want to do.”
“Put this shit out of your head and do that then.”
“I’m not even going to open the damn envelope.”
“I’ll do it tomorrow, you just . . . Your sister is calling me right now.”
“Talk her off the ledge and then tell her to come over and have some spaghetti with us,” I ordered. “Thanks, Marcus.”
“Bye, Darcy. See you tomorrow.”
I sighed before I turned around and shook off my anger. There was no sense in ruining everyone’s evening just because my father was a greedy prick. I made a vow to not let his poison touch my family.
Yes. My family. A family that he had no part of and never would.
I pulled the door open and the noise just got louder. I dropped to one knee so I could hug Rev who ran toward me with Yakko, Wakko, and Dot hot on her heels. Once I’d greeted her, I stood up to let the puppies analyze the scent of all the other dogs I’d cheated on them with today.
Rev and I were holding hands and had just turned the corner, walking toward the kitchen, when I heard Griffin explain, “Some people believe that fear of spiders could be genetic from when our ancestors had a fear of anything that could injure them in a time when speed and agility were way more important than they are now. If you got bit you’d be sick or something and it would make it easier for a large predator to kill you and it would also make it harder for you to hunt for your own food. ”
“That’s horrifying, but it makes sense,” Crow said without looking up from the pot on the stove that he was stirring. “What else did you find out?”
I’d learned that Griffin loved a challenge, and really enjoyed researching things he didn’t understand, so I wasn’t surprised when he added, “It also might be because people are afraid of the unknown, and with all those eyes and legs, along with the web making and the way they move, people might associate them with aliens, which people are afraid of because they don’t understand. ”
“I think that theory is much more believable than the genetic imprint of such an obscure fear, especially since not everyone is afraid of spiders.”
“You acted like a ninja with ants in his pants when you walked into that web, Crow. You might not be afraid, but you reacted like something within you was telling you to run.”
“No one likes to walk into a spider web. It’s a natural reaction to freak out at least a little.”
“It’s natural because it’s an inherited trait in your DNA.”
I cleared my throat before I said, “I hate to interrupt such a scholarly discussion, but I have to ask, where was the spider web?”
“Hey, babe,” Crow said as he put the spoon on the counter and turned toward me with his arms out for a hug. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough to get really freaked out and consider burning the house down.”
Crow chuckled, but Griffin burst out laughing before he said, “They’d survive if you burned the house down because animals and insects can sense danger and would scramble away the second they smelled smoke or felt a change in the atmosphere from the heat of a fire.”
“Don’t crush my dreams, little man. That’s the only way I have ever imagined that I’d be able to kill spiders en masse, and I’d like to hold onto that for my own sanity.” I gave Crow a kiss before I asked again, “Where did you run into a spider web? Was it inside the house or . . . ?”
“Back porch,” he said quickly. “Not inside. I promise.”
“But if there was one on the back porch, some of his siblings might have found a way in,” Griffin said, voicing my fear out loud.
“That’s not helping, Griff,” Crow growled.
“I’m just saying . . .”
“Well stop!” Crow snapped. He smiled down at me before he asked, “Are you hungry?”
I thought about telling him that I’d just been served, but decided that was a conversation for later - much later.
Maybe never. Every time the subject of my father came up and how he’d always treated me Crow got an odd look in his eye that made me think he was considering a trip to Denver and he’d probably invite the other men from his club to join him for the adventure, something I didn’t want to think about. Ever.
“I’m starving.”
“Did you let another dog steal your lunch?” Griffin asked. I sighed, which was answer enough, and Crow and Griffin laughed at me. “You should really stop doing that, Darcy. How are you going to remain one of Queen’s most valuable assets if you don’t eat?”
“Huh?”
“Fat-bottomed girls, you make the rockin’ world go round,” he sang.
“Did he just call me fat?” I asked in shock.
“Griffin Kestrel Forrester,” Crow said in that dad voice that always gave me goosebumps.
“What? It’s a song!”
“You are pushing the limit today, son. I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you’d better put a plug in it.”
“Yessir.”
“And apologize.”
“I’m sorry you feel like I insulted you, Darcy.”
Crow scoffed before he ordered, “Try again.”
“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” I asked Griffin, onto his game now. When he pulled his lips between his teeth I knew I had him so I reminded him, “I’m not going to become an evil stepmother no matter how much you insult me.”
“That’s not fair at all!” Griffin exclaimed.
“Apologize,” Crow ordered again with that sexy growl.
“I’m sorry I said your butt was big, Darcy.”
“Thank you, Griffin. Now, go clean the upstairs bathroom and then rearrange your closet so you’ll fit whenever I want to lock you in there.”
“Really?” Griffin asked in outrage.
I tried to give him my meanest look, which was hard to do when he looked so cute, before I asked, “Did I stutter?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Griffin mumbled as he put his head down and shuffled toward the stairs.
Once I heard the gate Crow had installed squeak closed I put my hand over my mouth to muffle my laughter and said, “It’s so hard to do it, but that’s really what he wants!”
“Cleaning his bathroom is already on his chore list, so I’m not sure that really makes you evil,” Crow said before he snorted and then laughed loudly.
“The bathroom is on Thursday, and it’s only Monday, so I’m really an evil stepmother!”
“Good grief. I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you two,” Crow mumbled as he turned back toward the stove. “Go take a shower and relax. Dinner is almost finished.”
“I’ll take Rev into the shower with me and knock that chore off our list,” I offered.
“Not today, babe. It’s spaghetti night and she’ll wear as much as she eats,” he informed me.
“Good point. I’ll see you in a bit!”